Football rankings: 4 defending champions finish regular season No. 1

Four defending champions and three teams that have never won state titles will enter the playoffs with No. 1 rankings.

The defending champions are Mill Creek in Class 7A, Benedictine in 4A, Thomson in 2A and Prince Avenue Christian in A Division I. Only Benedictine and Prince Avenue among those have been No. 1 since preseason.

Coffee in 5A, Calvary Day in 3A and Schley County in A Division II are No. 1. They have never won state titles.

Gainesville, in 6A, is the final No. 1 team.

The first of five playoff rounds begin Friday in all classes except 4A and 2A, which begin Saturday. The finals are Dec. 11-13 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Class 7A

1. (1) Mill Creek (10-0)

2. (2) Walton (10-0)

3. (3) Colquitt County (10-0)

4. (4) Buford (9-1)

5. (5) Carrollton (9-1)

6. (8) Grayson (8-2)

7. (10) Newton (8-2)

8. (9) Westlake (8-2)

9. (NR) North Cobb (7-3)

10. (NR) Milton (8-2)

Out: No. 6 Norcross (8-2, No. 7 Parkview (7-3)

Class 6A

1. (1) Gainesville (10-0)

2. (2) Thomas County Central (10-0)

3. (3) Douglas County (10-0)

4. (4) Hughes (8-2)

5. (5) Lee County (8-2)

6. (6) Rome (9-1)

7. (7) Marist (9-1)

8. (8) Roswell (9-1)

9. (9) Houston County (8-2)

10. (10) Woodward Academy (8-2)

Class 5A

1. (1) Coffee (10-0)

2. (2) Creekside (9-1)

3. (3) Jefferson (10-0)

4. (4) Cartersville (10-0)

5. (5) Ware County (7-3)

6. (6) Kell (9-1)

7. (7) Hiram (8-2)

8. (8) Greater Atlanta Christian (9-1)

9. (9) Warner Robins (7-3)

10. (10) Harris County (9-1)

Class 4A

1. (1) Benedictine (10-0)

2. (2) North Oconee (10-0)

3. (3) Bainbridge (8-2)

4. (4) Spalding (10-0)

5. (5) Central (Carrollton) (10-0)

6. (6) Stockbridge (8-2)

7. (7) Perry (8-2)

8. (10) Starr’s Mill (7-3)

9. (NR) Stephenson (8-2)

10. (NR) LaGrange (8-2)

Out: No. 8 Cairo (8-2), No. 9 Troup (8-2)

Class 3A

1. (1) Calvary Day (9-0)

2. (3) Cedar Grove (5-5)

3. (4) Mary Persons (9-1)

4. (5) Savannah Christian (8-2)

5. (6) Lumpkin County (10-0)

6. (2) Stephens County (9-1)

7. (7) Morgan County (9-1)

8. (8) Sandy Creek (7-3)

9. (9) Carver (Columbus) (7-3)

10. (10) Crisp County (6-4)